Karnataka drugs controller Dr. BR Jagashetty has been selected as member of sub-group on spurious and adulterated drugs which will support the Task Force constituted to formulate a long term policy and strategy for strengthening of drug sector in the country. In fact, the sub group will deliberate on specific issues on the terms of reference of the constituted Task Force.

In a communiqué from the Centrals Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) issued vi a File No. DCGI/Misc/2011/39 Task Force vide order No. X 19029/04/2011-DFQC has stated that Dr. Jagashetty was selected as member of the Sub Group which would deliberate on specific issues on the terms of reference of the Task Force and to recognize the appropriate course of action.

The committee is headed by joint secretary, ministry of health and family welfare who will be chairman. The remaining panel comprises secretary cum scientific director, India Pharmacopeia Commission, two representatives from two state drug control department, two representatives from Consumer Association, representative of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, representatives from the National Informatics Centre, representatives from IDMA, OPPI and IPA and a representative from the DCG(I) Dr. D Roy.

The key objectives are to recommend the issue of spurious drugs and adulterated drugs, devise roadmaps to implement and recommend the strategies and measures to control this menace.

When the effort is carried out on national level it will bring in a strict and rigorous system, stated Dr. Jagashetty who in Karnataka has been spearheading efforts to control the sale of spurious and adulterated drugs. Recently in Karnataka, the drugs control department organized a state-wide drug sampling drive carried out by the enforcement team in the presence of non-governmental organizations where medicines were picked up at random from pharmacy outlets and tested for its package authenticity and content quality and quantity.

Karnataka also has three drug test labs at Bangalore, Bellary and Hubli. The current test capacity is around 3,000 a year.   Efforts are on to install another 42 high performance liquid chromatography equipment to increase the test capability to 12,000 annually.  The funding for the test equipment purchase has come in from a World Bank grant towards the National Rural Health Mission initiative, informed Dr. Jagashetty.